26 BULLETIN 492, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Corn, the crop second in importance in this region, is grown by 

 practically every farmer and occupies over one-fourth of the tilled 

 area. Corn and fodder constitute the principal feed for live stock. 

 Corn is also quite generally used as a family food. The area devoted 

 to this crop in the different classes of tenure ranges from 26.3 to 31 

 per cent of the total tilled area. As a rule the owners are devoting 

 more attention to raising corn than are the tenants. 



The small-grain crops are third in importance in utilizing the land 

 for first crops. Oats are the principal small-grain crop grown in this 

 region, and are also of much importance as a hay and pasture crop. 

 They are well adapted to a wide range of soils and can be harvested 

 early enough in the summer to utilize the land for other crops which 

 may be harvested the same season. Much of the oats harvested as a 

 grain crop is fed in the sheaf. As a grain crop oats occupy from 7 to 

 10 per cent of the crop area on white-owner farms, 5 per cent upon the 

 white-tenant farms, and 4 per cent or less upon the farms with col- 

 ored operators. Wheat is grown on a small number of farms in this 

 area and returns only fair yields. While only a few farms grow rye 

 as a grain crop, it is used more extensively as a cover and green- 

 manuring crop. In regions north of this county these two crops 

 occupy a larger acreage and give much higher yields. 



Cowpeas occupy an important place in the agriculture of this 

 region. As this plant is of tropical origin, it grows well during hot 

 weather, completing its growth in from 3 to 4 months and thereby 

 making it possible to grow it at times when the land would otherwise 

 be idle. Cowpeas are not only valuable as a hay and seed crop, but 

 have a high soil- fertility value as well. The area devoted to this crop 

 for hay and seed is shown in Table VII. There were, in addition, cer- 

 tain farms where cowpeas were sown and plowed under during the 

 year for their fertilizing value, but complete records of the acreage 

 treated in this manner were not secured. The cowpea is the crop of 

 greatest importance in the utilization of land for the second time dur- 

 ing the year. It occupies only a small percentage of the first-crop 

 area, but as a second crop it utilizes as high as 12 per cent of the tilled 

 area on some tenures. The usual practice in this region is to follow 

 grain crops, usually oats, with cowpeas for hay. On corn ground 

 cowpeas are usually sown during the last cultivation. When this 

 can be done the cost, above .that for seed, is very small. After 

 harvesting the cowpea seed the vines are left on the ground for 

 pasture or to be plowed under. 



There are a number of other crops used for hay, but the areas of 

 these are of such minor importance that they are grouped together as 

 " other hay." Oats occupy the most important place in this respect, 

 while rye, peanuts, sorghum, vetch, Bermuda grass, meadow hay, 

 beggarweed, or crab grass were reported in small scattering areas. 



